In the second article of a series looking at lessons that arts organisations can learn from outside the sector, Tim Joss explains how Treehouse, an autism charity, make the most of their uniqueness.
I think we would all agree that worthwhile uniqueness begins with creativity and innovation. These are common words in the arts vocabulary. But a strong reputation for uniqueness is not sustained unless new ideas are conceived properly, tested adequately or given the chance to reach their full potential. Nor will they take root unless the conclusions of all this creativity and innovation are disseminated. Only then will the fullest impact be achieved: sharing with other arts organisations, and having an impact on the wider policy context of arts councils, the commercial sector, and local and national government. Arts organisations often say they dont have enough time or resources to do proper R&D and to follow through on the results. But wouldnt a truly innovative organisation find the time and resources? Treehouse has.
Treehouse was set up in 1997 by a group of parents concerned about the education of their autistic children. It now runs a school in North London based on an approach called Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA). Eighty children attend, with a pupil/teacher ratio of 1:1. New facilities are needed and Treehouse has bought the land it needs for these and right now is fundraising to build a new school at a cost of £11.5m.
A clear bold mission inspires everything: to transform through education the lives of children with autism and the lives of their families. What gives Treehouse its uniqueness is how it combines running a school with carrying out national and international research, dissemination, policy work and campaigning. Each feeds off the others. Running a school alone would not fulfill Treehouses mission. Transformation through education (like transformation through the arts) involves much more. As it says, We offer a method of teaching pupils that is ground-breaking, and we have a clear remit to share this pioneering model.
Treehouse offers a national information service for children and their families. It has pioneered ABA to children with autism in the UK, but then it has gone that extra step, determined to spread the educational model to flagship primary and secondary schools throughout the UK. It is a national trainer, expanding the pool of practitioners and specialists in autism education, and is boosting the skills of existing practitioners. It is delivering the first UK-based recognised postgraduate qualification in ABA. It has also teamed up with Autism Partnership, a leading training and consultancy agency based in California, to deliver training days on ABA for a wider constituency, including educators and health professionals.
And it has its own national Policy and Campaigns team working with decision-makers nationwide. Treehouse has promoted a manual to help parents campaign constructively to change policies, services and provision for all children with autism in their local area. It encourages parents and others to engage with Parliament for example, with the recent Education and Skills Select Committee inquiry into Special Educational Needs. The overall aim is to inspire parents to work nationally and locally to build better services for all children with autism, raise the profile of issues in autism education, make the struggle for services a thing of the past, highlight the compelling moral and economic arguments for investing in intensive education, and support the development and dissemination of the Treehouse model.
Treehouse is not alone in the third sector. Truly innovative organisations often find it necessary to add to their direct activity. They either do it for themselves, like Treehouse, or they club together with partners with the same needs. R&D and its dissemination, publications, training, policy work, advocacy and campaigning: all these can help maximise impact, and create a more supportive and productive context. And, of course, all of this refreshes and enhances the direct activity.
For more information on Treehouse, go to: http://www.treehouse.org.uk